


Night of Sevens (ATEEZ Oneshot - fluff)[Park Seonghwa]

by chasingatinydream



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: F/M, Romance, seonghwa x reader, stargazing festival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 05:35:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18276833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingatinydream/pseuds/chasingatinydream
Summary: the stars didn't align for the cowherd and the weaver, but the festival that brings them together on that one special night every year may just be the magic push that brings the two of you together(also, the stars in seonghwa's eyes are more beautiful than the ones in the sky)





	Night of Sevens (ATEEZ Oneshot - fluff)[Park Seonghwa]

"What do you mean, you've never been stargazing?" Seonghwa asks, incredulous, and you look up from your phone screen with raised eyebrows to see him staring at you in shock.

It's a cool Tuesday night and the two of you are walking back home after your study session in the library. Even though it's late at night and your house is in the opposite direction from his, Seonghwa has insisted on walking you home like a true gentleman – he's too sweet to you, you think fondly.

"I just... never felt interested in it." You shrug, tucking your phone back in your pocket before burying your fingers into the sleeves of your coat, hiding them from the chilly night air. Raising your head, you gaze up at the night sky above head, gesturing upwards. "Look, you can't see anything with all the light pollution of the city... there's nothing to see out here."

Seonghwa raises a hand to stop you in your words, a bright little gleam in his eye that only comes alive when he's truly passionate about something. It's cute. "Of course there isn't anything here! You need to know where to look!" He starts rambling on excitedly about his many trips out of the bustling city to a small town a few hours from here, where the lights from the city don't reach and describing how the sky is filled with tiny, twinkling diamonds with fervour.

You're not the type to be interested in these sort of things, but it's always fun to watch your usually reserved friend be so animated over something he loves. It brings out the stars in his eyes, and honestly you think they are prettier than any nebula in the night sky.

Seonghwa continues chattering zealously about stargazing and you would have been content with listening to him for the rest of the walk home, but he catches himself with a start, ducking his head shyly and covering his face with his large hands in embarrassment.

"Ahh... I digressed... I wasn't annoying, was I?"

You hurry to reassure him, a little disappointed that he's stopped talking. "No, I love hearing you talk about stuff that makes you happy!" He pauses, faltering a little, peeking out at you from behind a crack in his fingers.

He's cute.

On the inside, Seonghwa's heart is racing a million miles an hour as a single thought bounces back and forth in his brain rapidly like a pinball machine. Should he or should he not? He doesn't even realise how long he's been standing in the middle of the street looking like a fool until he feels something tug at the sleeve of his coat and jumps in surprise.

"Hey, what are you thinking about, Hwa?"

He's all too aware of the bead of sweat sliding down the side of his neck.

"I-I..." Seonghwa attempts to get the words out, but his tongue feels numb with nerves, and the words fumble about his mouth. God, he probably looks like a fool now, in front of you, no less. You lean forward to take a closer glance at his face, peering up at him from under your lashes – you're barely inches from him and your noses are nearly brushing–

He backpedals in a panic and almost trips over his own feet, but you squeak in panic and latch onto his arm before he can topple onto the sidewalk, his forearm flexing under your grip. Seonghwa can feel your warmth through the sleeve of his coat and for a brief moment he wonders whether this is heaven or hell.

"Hwa!" You yelp with worry, yanking him upright. Your eyes are filled with concern and his heart beats madly in his chest as he tries to calm himself. It's not working very well. "Are you alright?"

The thundering of his own heart fills his ears and his hands are trembling, but this is his one shot. He's gotta take it right now, because when else are the stars going to align for him like this in the same way again?

It's the third of August and maybe, just maybe, the stars are on his side.

So with this hope in mind, he swallows, sucks in a deep breath and looks you determinedly in the eye.

"T-there's a stargazing festival coming around in four days." Seonghwa curses the way his voice breaks at the beginning of his sentence internally, but forces himself to ignore the urge to curl up in a ball of embarrassment and continues forging forward. Eyes on the prize, Park Seonghwa! "Do you... do you want to come with me to see the stars?"

You pause for a moment, chewing on your bottom lip as you consider this. With every second of silence that passes, Seonghwa feels the anxiety building up in him like a balloon filling with air, uncomfortably full, threatening to burst any second now.

That sounds like I'm inviting her to a date! You two are just friends, she's not your girlfriend, you imbecile! Seonghwa panics inwardly, his brain running in circles and hollering in embarrassment. His hands are trembling ever so slightly, but he fists them in the hem of his shirt and waits for your answer, every moment that passes making his urge to sink into the ground grow stronger and stronger.

When you finally open your mouth to answer, Seonghwa feels like an eternity has passed him by.

"Yeah, I'm free on that day, so why not?" You beam up at him prettily and Seonghwa feels himself let out a sigh of relief right as his breath gets caught in his throat. It results in a little unsteady choke and you panic again, eyebrows furrowing in worry as you take in his apple red cheeks with concern. Is he having a fever?

"Seonghwa?"

"I-I'm fine." He licks his lips – for a second, they feel too dry – and tries to hide how much his lips are trying to pull into a wide, blissful smile. They rebel against him and his pearly white teeth show in happy grin, one that brings out the galaxies in his eyes. You don't know why he's smiling, but you bop him fondly on the nose and tug on his sleeve, pulling him with you.

He complies easily, still unable to believe it.

You agreed.

No, it's not a date, he chastises himself when overwhelming warmth overflows in his chest and he can't help but smile like the lovestruck fool he is. Seonghwa needs to keep his hope under control before it consumes him. What if he gets let down?

But now you have a chance, his heart reminds him smugly. And he'd rather have a sliver of a chance with you than none at all.

"So I'll see you on the seventh?"

You smile back at him, and for a second, Seonghwa thinks he might be going blind.

"Yeah."

On the seventh of August, you're packing your bag for your little one night trip with Seonghwa while your best friend, Wooyoung plays games on his mobile, lounging on your couch. A few minutes of peaceful silence pass until you hear him shriek in anger and toss his phone to the side, clattering on your glass coffee table and you chuckle in amusement as you tuck a jacket into your bag.

Grumbling, he makes his way over, plopping cross-legged next to you on the floor with a pout and watches you check through the contents of your bag one last time. You're about halfway through when you feel the weight of a gaze on you... and slowly raise your eyes to see Wooyoung staring intensely at you.

You frown and stare back at him questioningly, wondering why on earth Wooyoung is giving you that look when he suddenly settles his chin on his hands and opens his mouth, still staring at you the entire time with that same, earnest stare.

"So, you're going out with Seonghwa."

You start a little in surprise, not expecting those to be the words to leave his mouth. But you nod anyway, stuffing a scarf into your bag in case it gets cold. "Yeah, what about it?"

Wooyoung's lips form a little 'o' shape, a smug little smirk on his face that makes you feel like he's hiding something from you. But before you can say anything about it, Wooyoung's arches a perfect eyebrow in a little smirk that is decidedly dastardly and asks, with too much glee in his voice, "So... did Seonghwa tell you what festival you're going to?"

You give a half shrug absentmindedly, reaching for your water bottle. "I mean... he told me we're going to a stargazing festival..." If possible, Wooyoung's little smirk grows even wider and you're tempted to slap it off his face. "Woo, what are you thinking?"

"Oh, it's a stargazing festival, alright." Wooyoung snickers under his breath and you raise a suspicious eyebrow. "I see what you're doing, hyung-"

You open your mouth to give him a piece of your mind, frustrated with his obvious evasiveness, but before you can speak, Wooyoung tuts and grabs you by the hand, tugging you up the stairs to your bedroom. You're taken by surprise.

"Wooyoung, what are you-"

He tosses the door of your closet open, spinning around to gesture at you. "Well, you can't go to a big festival dressed like that." Wooyoung grins from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat, reaching into your closet to yank out several dresses that you haven't worn in years, much to your alarm. "Here, go try some of these on."

Your mouth drops open in horror. "Wooyoung, I haven't touched these since years ago-"

"I doubt you've grown much taller in the last two years." The purple haired boy quips snarkily and you throw a clothes hanger at him. He dodges it with a high pitched squeal, laughing uncontrollably and you shove him off your bed, scowling before you glance at the dresses lying out on the sheets.

Okay... maybe your sweats and hoodie aren't the most appropriate attire for a festival...

"Try this." Wooyoung suggests, placing a deep blue sleeveless dress with tiny silver sequins sprinkled around the skirt in your arms. You pause a moment to consider it, chewing on your bottom lip nervously. Wooyoung, sensing your hesitation, places two fingers under your chin and raises your head to meet his gaze. You balk a little at the contact but there's something that makes you still momentarily, the uncharacteristic warmth in his eyes.

"You'll look even more beautiful." He reassures you gently and inhibitions you didn't know you had melt away slowly. You swallow and Wooyoung gives you a little grin, shoving you towards the bathroom to change. "Now hurry, won't hyung be here in a few more minutes?"

At that, you gasp in horror when you catch sight of the red numbers on your bedside alarm clock. "Shit!" You cry, dashing into the bathroom, Wooyoung cackling madly behind you.

You've barely changed into the simple navy blue dress when the doorbell rings. Urgently, you leap from the bathroom and down the stairs, determined to reach the door before Wooyoung does, but to your horror, you're already too late.

"So... the Qixi festival, huh, hyung?" Wooyoung has a teasing smile on his lips as he lounges against the doorframe with the biggest smirk you've ever seen – he looks too reminiscent of a cat that got the canary. Seonghwa, on the other hand, looks like he's turned into a human tomato, he seems torn between blushy red embarrassment (which, in your very biased opinion, is a very good colour on him) and the overwhelming desire to strangle Jung Wooyoung.

"Wooyoung, stop teasing me-" Seonghwa almost whines, face beet red with mortification. He's dressed nicely in a pair of black jeans that adheres to his long legs very attractively and a snug black turtleneck with his usual soft brown coat draped over his shoulders. There's a black beret crammed over his soft blond waves and your heart stutters in your chest for a second.

You might be in trouble.

"H-hey." You stumble over your words as you descend the stairs more slowly this time and inwardly curse when your voice cracks from nerves. Seonghwa turns, fully intent on complaining about your best friend when he catches sight of you, his mouth hanging open as his eyes widen in shock.

Time stops.

You flush with colour when you reach the bottom of the stairs, clasping your hands behind your back timidly. Seonghwa doesn't move, mouth still gaping like a goldfish out of water. "Is... is this too much? I can change out of this if you want-"

"No!" His vehemence surprises you and Seonghwa himself, he looks stunned at the forcefulness of his words. Clearing his throat, he swallows and tries again. "No." He says more carefully, softer, gentler this time. "I... I really like it... you look beautiful." The last word that escapes his lips is bashful, breathless and you can't help the heat rushing to your cheeks, ducking your head shyly.

"You look handsome too, oppa." You return the compliment honestly and Seonghwa, if possible, turns even more red. He looks like he's been standing in a sauna for several hours and the two of you merely stand there for who knows how long, both with happy, embarrassed, goofy grins on your faces and exchanging shy glances that makes your heart flutter with tiny butterflies.

Until someone coughs loudly at the side.

"Ex-cuse me~" Wooyoung drags the word out very deliberately and you and Seonghwa jerk in surprise, staring at anywhere but each other in embarrassment. But your sadistic best friend simply grabs the two of you by the front sleeves and ushers you out of the front door, essentially kicking you out of your own house. "If the two of you are done flirting, maybe it's time to leave?"

"Flirting?" You choke but Seonghwa takes it much worse, mouth opening and closing in horror. Wooyoung merely grins cheekily at the two of you like the little devil he is, before dropping your bag into your arms. You open your mouth to say that it feels too light, but Wooyoung is already cutting through like a speeding train. "Take care, the two of you! And Seonghwa-hyung... "

Your best friend waggles his eyebrows suggestively and slams the door shut in your faces.

There's a moment of wide eyed silence as the two of you stare at each other incredulously. Then Seonghwa breaks the silence with an exasperated shake of the head with still rosy cheeks. "Is he always like this?"

"Most of the time, yeah." You nod, heart pounding. Laughing softly, Seonghwa directs you in the direction of the train station, eyes bright with excitement. You can see the stars in his gaze shining brightly. "Come on, let's go!"

Something in you softens and you smile. "Alright."

The train ride is long and comfortable, and you nod off against Seonghwa's sturdy shoulder while he reads a book, swayed into a light slumber by the rhythmic motions of the train and the sound of Seonghwa's soft breathing right by your ear. Your eyes flutter open every few stops or so but nothing changes, the sound of pages turning lull you right back to sleep... until one time it doesn't.

You awaken after your fifth or sixth time of dozing off, feeling a crick in your neck developing. Grumbling incoherently, you try to shift into a more comfortable position, but pause when you feel a weight resting on your own head.

Your inhale of surprise is drowned out by the sound of Seonghwa's soft little snores and you feel your hand enveloped in something warm. Holding your breath in your chest, you glance down to see fingers, long and elegant – Seonghwa's fingers, you realise with a gasp – intertwined with your own, resting in your lap. His touch is light, gentle, but firm, you can't help but stare down at your linked fingers with something approaching panic and awe.

You don't know how long you stay like that, but the train jerks once (you curse it horrendously) and there's a hitch in Seonghwa's breathing, a light snuffle and you can feel him moving next to you, shifting from slumber to something more awake. Alarm strikes through you and you nearly squeak with horror, squeezing your eyes shut and going limp against his shoulder once more. You feel the slight pressure of his head leave, much to your mournfulness, mumbling something under his breath that you can't quite make out.

You hope he doesn't notice how red your cheeks are.

There's a little, sharp intake of breath next to you and Seonghwa's hand goes rigid in yours, turning slightly clammy. You hear him swallow nervously and reach over to peel your fingers from his ever so carefully, one by one, holding his breath the whole time and finally tugging his hand free. Before you can mourn the loss of his warmth, though, you feel his tips of his fingers ghost over your cheek, barely skimming the soft skin there, brushing flyaway strands of hair behind your ear with so much tenderness you almost melt on the spot.

"Train approaching station 4A."

Seonghwa's fingers jerk away before you can fully savor their warmth and you lament how short the three hour train ride was, but then his hand is on your shoulder, gently rousing you awake – as if you haven't already been for the last ten minutes.

You fake a stretch and bring a hand up to your mouth in a mock yawn, glancing around as you lift your head off his shoulder. "Are we there yet?"

Seonghwa nods, grinning with excitement, blond waves still mussed from sleep and cheeks tinged pink, they're the colour of sweet cotton candy. He takes you by the hand and leads you out of the carriage before the doors can close, the two of you laughing and breathless, hand in hand.

On the seventh of sevens, the stars align just for the two of you.

The festival is more beautiful than you could have imagined.

Lanterns decorate the trees around the two of you, faintly glowing with jewel tones of light and casting Seonghwa's face in a pretty pink shade that reminds you of cherry blossoms. There's a faint, floral scent mixed into the air, swirling and twisting with the smell of delicious snacks and treats sold by some of the stalls that are lining the walkway.

"Wow..." You gush excitedly as you spin in a circle, trying to take in all the sights and scents that are bombarding your senses all at once. Above you, the indigo night sky is glimmering with tiny stars, the clearest you've seen them all your life. Seonghwa beams warmly at the sight, watching your gaze flicker from one stall to another, thrilled and ready to explore all of the festival has to offer. A little smile curls at one corner of his mouth.

"Do you like it?" Seonghwa asks softly and you whirl to meet his gentle gaze with the biggest grin he's seen on your face, it's as bright as the stars in the sky.

"Like it?" You repeat his question to him, sounding incredulous and he panics for a moment, heart racing, but then you nod so happily he's worried your head might fall off your shoulders. "I love it! Why haven't I come here before?"

Seonghwa lets a tiny breath of relief escape him. So you are enjoying yourself after all. He takes baby steps, swallowing once again to keep the tremors out of his voice before asking his next question. "Well, do you want to explore the festival with m-me?"

Damn, his voice cracked on the last word.

But you don't seem to notice, bobbing your head up and down. "Of course, silly! Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing? Let's go! I want to eat some snacks and buy some things for Wooyoung!" Your gaze switches between a shop selling traditional rice cakes and another with tiny, multi-coloured charms hanging from the front. You can already see a little puppy one you think your best friend would like.

Seonghwa smiles warmly at your exuberance and leads you towards the charm stall, you rush forward to look through the keychains spread out on the table cloth. To your surprise, most of the charms there have the same, recurring characters. One is a man herding a cow, the other a woman weaving cloth, and the last, a flock of black and white birds that you recognise to be magpies.

You cock your head to the side in curiosity. Is there any meaning to these characters?

"Is there anything you want?" The old, kindly man behind the counter asks politely, stepping forward to assist you. You shake your head, pointing at the puppy one that reminds you of Wooyoung – you're not big on keychains yourself. Seonghwa steps up behind you as the stall owner picks the keychains you've selected out of his stock, putting them in a little paper bag as they clink together.

"What did you get?" His words are warm at your ear and you smile at the pleasant feeling, turning around to grin at him broadly. "Close your eyes." You instruct him and Seonghwa feels his heart thud in his chest, tongue flickering out briefly to wet his dry lips before he closes his eyes with a fond smile. You take his hand in yours (he suddenly goes very rigid) and press a plastic charm into the centre of his palm, fingertips lingering there for a moment before they pull away.

Seonghwa's breath stutters across your cheeks.

"Here." You tell him brightly and his eyes flutter open, glancing down at his hand. It's a little plastic charm depicting a cute chibi cow herder with blond hair, two adorable cows in front of him. His heart leaps into his throat at the gesture and you beam at him, raising your own matching one. "Now we match!"

The weaver.

Oh dear.

He's in trouble.

"The two of you are very cute together." The store owner smiles and Seonghwa feels his heart thundering madly in his chest, every beat reverberating in his ears. You aren't supposed to find out this way, it's not time yet! But luckily for him, you're completely oblivious, shaking your head with a grin.

"Nah, we're just friends." You tell the older man and the store owner gives Seonghwa a sly, mischievous look that has his cheeks turning bright red, fingers fidgeting nervously behind his back. Even though he knows that the words are to be expected, he doesn't know why there's a sinking feeling in his chest at the word 'friends'.

"Just friends." He manages to croak out but the man raises an eyebrow, unconvinced, that little knowing smile still remaining on his face. Then he pulls out a glass bowl filled with little folded paper slips from under the table, setting it on the counter top.

"How about you have a little something to tell your fortune?"

"That's so cool!" You gush excitedly, pulling a small yellow slip out with glee, before turning to face him, eyes shining. "Seonghwa-oppa, you too!"

Seonghwa doesn't really believe in this sort of thing, but he can't help the trepidation welling up inside of him as he reaches forward for a slip of his own. His fingers descend into the bowl, rummaging around for a moment (as if fate really worked that way), and eventually pull out a little green paper slip, twisted around the middle.

"Check your fate, oppa!" You chatter excitedly, already in the process of unfolding your own. He mirrors your actions, untwisting the slip in the middle with slender fingers before turning the printed side to face him so he can read his 'fate'.

Maybe things will have changed after tonight.

Seonghwa's mouth falls open, eyes widening. How could... how could this tiny, randomised paper slip find its way into his hands, of all people?

Does he... really have a chance?

"Hey, Seonghwa-oppa, what's your fate?" You stand on your tippy toes, trying to peek at his slip, but he prides himself on regaining his senses just in time to push you back with a gentle finger to the nose, a crooked half smile on his face as he slips the paper into his pocket before you can see it.

"It's a secret." He murmurs warmly with such a fond look that delightful heat rushes from your cheeks to the very tips of your toes. You're sure your face is fire engine red at the moment, but you clap your hands over your cheeks and turn away before he can see it.

"W-well... mine is a secret too!" You tell him earnestly and he laughs, ruffling your hair and you blush from the roots of your hair to your fingertips. He's looking a lot more cheerful than before, as if some sort of invisible burden has been lifted from his shoulders. You don't know what exactly his printed fate was, but you're just happy to see him happy (a sentiment that is much too cheesy for your tastes, but if it's him, you find that you don't mind as much).

Maybe the one you've been looking for has been by your side this whole time.

"Come on, let's go see the stars." Seonghwa smiles, taking your hand boldly in his his much larger one, his fingers practically engulf your entire hand, radiating warmth that reminds you of crackling fireplaces, of warm hugs and overly large sweaters... of home. His newfound confidence nearly stuns you, but it's nothing unwanted, in fact, it's the very opposite. You relish in the feeling and make a bold move of your own, interlacing your fingers with his and squeezing tight; he turns back to look at you with a smile that crinkles his eyes and lights up the entire night sky with its brightness.

He leads you to a small clearing in the middle of a grove of trees, wishes of other festival-goers hanging from the branches in the form of tiny, multi-coloured paper slips all around you. It's surprisingly silent, devoid of other people. You can hear the muted chatter of others some distance off, but other than that, the only sound that reaches your ears is the chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves in the gentle night breeze.

The wind touches your bare arms and you shiver; Seonghwa, of course, notices. He takes both your hands in his and blows warm air over them, stroking his thumb over the back of your hand with a featherlight touch and you freeze at the soft pressure against your skin, feeling warmth that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual temperature pooling at your cheeks.

"Are you cold?" Seonghwa asks, his voice low and gentle and your rebellious heart beats too fast for you to keep count. You barely manage to keep the tremors out of your words and instead opt for a simple nod, even that too, feels embarrassing. In order to escape the weight of his gaze, you instead turn around to pull your jacket out of your bag.

"I'm sure I had a jacket in here, oppa, just give me a second..." You duck your head away from him shyly and root about in your bag... but to your complete confusion and surprise, the jacket you were so sure you had put in is missing.

"Did you forget it?" Seonghwa asks worriedly, already taking off his soft brown coat, reaching around you to drape it on your shoulders. It's way too big for you but you love it, the hem falls past your knees and envelopes you in its warmth – Seonghwa's warmth, lingering in the very fabric of the coat. You pull it tighter around you and bury your nose in the collar, the fluff tickles the tip of your nose and you can inhale his scent, fresh and warm, like clean linen left in the summer sun.

"Thanks, oppa." You smile shyly, sitting next to him on the grass. He leans back, fingers splayed across his chest as he looks up at the sky above, breath whooshing from his lungs in a relaxed sigh. You lie down as well, looking at the stars twinkling above head. You know next to nothing about astronomy, but the sight is calming and beautiful to behold.

Suddenly, Seonghwa breaks the silence, raising a finger to point at the sky. "Do you know what those stars are?" His voice is quiet but it's never been more clear; in fact, the two of you have never been this close.

"No." You whisper back. You don't really know why, but something about that moment feels heavy around you, as if it's something precious you need to keep close and never let go. Turning your head, you glance at Seonghwa, his eyes are enraptured by the stars above, reflecting their light in their depths.

Your breath catches in your throat. You're unable to look away.

"According to Korean folklore based on a Chinese myth, the heavenly king had a daughter called Jiknyeo, who was a talented weaver." He points at a bright star that seems to outshine all the others that surround it. "She's represented by the star, Vega. She looked out of the window one day while weaving and saw a cowherd, Gyeonwu, across the Milky Way and fell in love with him. He's represented by the star Altair. However, after the two got together, Jiknyeo refused to weave and Gyeonwu let his cattle run amok in heaven. Thus, the Heavenly King separated the two of them, banishing them to either side of the Milky Way." He gestures at another star in the sky, eyes shining with wonder, as if truly imagining they are the souls of those lonely lovers.

"That's sad." You say, barely listening to what he's saying. Instead, you're captivated by the diamonds twinkling in his eyes, the way galaxies seem to reside in his gaze. He's beautiful.

"On the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, the king, moved by his daughter's tears, decided to allow them to meet. However, the two lovers could not cross the Milky Way to meet each other. In the end, the magpies worked together to form a bridge over the Milky Way so that the lovers to cross and be in each others' embrace once again." Seonghwa exhales softly, heart beating so loudly in his chest that he's almost sure that you can hear it. He doesn't dare to look over at you, wondering if you've noticed what he's about to do, what he's trying to hint at–

"And so Qixi is celebrated as the day the stars aligned for the two lovers. The stars are really beautiful, but..." Seonghwa's words are barely above a whisper, his teeth worry his bottom lip as he tries to build up the courage to just goddamn confess to you. You're more beautiful than any star, he wants to say, but the words are stuck in his throat like an uncomfortable itch that he just can't get rid of.

He sucks in a breath between his teeth, swallowing the saliva that seems to have built up in his mouth from nerves. His tongue doesn't want to cooperate, hiding behind the near crippling fear of a rejection, but his fate's words whisper to him once more from his pocket.

Maybe things will have changed after tonight.

God, he wishes so badly. Closing his eyes, he prays once to the stars, a silent plea to please align for him, to please, for once, make his wish come true.

Seonghwa takes a deep breath, rolls onto his side to look at you in the eye, the words at the tip of his tongue, when–

"I prefer the stars in your eyes, Seonghwa-oppa."

Time seems to still.

Seonghwa's eyes widen almost comically, blinking furiously like he can't believe his own ears. But you're looking at him with the sweetest smile on your face, the softest light in your eyes as you regard him and his heart clenches unbelievably tight, so warm it almost hurts.

"W-what?" He manages to stutter, honestly it's a miracle he can string letters together in the first place. You duck your head down bashfully to look at your feet before looking at him in the eye once more, cheeks rosy red in the light of the lanterns. There's determination shining there, brighter than any star in the sky.

"I like the stars in your eyes, oppa. I like you, more than any star in the sky." You tell him honestly and Seonghwa merely stares at you like you've struck him dumb with a sledgehammer over the head. You falter a moment, frowning, before you lean forward, hoping for a reaction at the very least. "Seonghwa-oppa?"

Is he going to reject you?

God, you pray to the stars that that's not it.

Then suddenly, he buries his face in his hands and laughs. It's stifled, muffled by his palms at first, but then it grows into something bigger, more carefree, so full of infectious joy that you can't help but smile even though you have no idea what's going on.

When he finally pulls his large hands from his face, there are tiny tears gathered at the corner of his eyes, sparkling like dewdrops. But what blinds you is the huge grin on his face, so warm and happy and you find your face twisting between a smile in return and a frown of confusion. Luckily, he answers your question before you make an awful half grimace in front of him, his grin so wide you can see his teeth peeking through.

"I can't believe you confessed before I did." Seonghwa laughs and you feel your heart overflowing with a sudden rush of warmth, the light, airy feeling spreading throughout your body till you feel like a hot air balloon that could take to the skies any moment. "I had this whole confession planned and everything, this trip and all was so that I could confess to you under the stars... and I can't believe you just went and ruined it like that, you little pabo." The last word is filled with so much affection and genuine endearment that before you can notice, hot tears of happiness are already spilling forth from your eyes.

He loves you back.

Then you smack him on the shoulder lightly.

"Who are you calling a pabo, huh? I seem to recall you were the one sneaking around trying to invite me to a romantic festival and all instead of just confessing on the spot– "

Before you can say another word, Seonghwa's fingers are brushing your jaw for one fleeting moment, just like they did on the train. But instead of vanishing like the spring breeze, they take a firm grasp of your chin, the stars you love so much twinkling in his eyes as he grins, breathless and excited, before dipping his head down to meet your mouth.

You swear you see stars burst behind your closed eyelids.

The kiss is soft and chaste, you grasp his sleeve and pull him closer, winding your arms around his neck. He laughs once against your lips before he claims them again as his own, the barest hint of the summer warmth brushing your mouth as he kisses you gently, once, twice, thrice. Then he's pulling away to look at you deeply in the eyes, your arms still linked around his neck and he rests his forehead against yours with a carefree chuckle, eyes crinkling into little half moon crescents.

"You're more beautiful than the stars in the sky." He tells you, so close you can count every eyelash, his breath warm against your lips. They ache for another kiss, so you just smile and pull him down to meet your lips once again, the stars twinkling over the two of you for the rest of eternity.

Maybe the stars really did align for the two of you, after all.


End file.
